We are looking for an experienced Publishing Director to join the Century Fiction imprint of Cornerstone, on a fixed term contract starting in late May 2024, to cover a period of parental leave.  

Century is one of the most successful and well-regarded commercial imprints in the UK. On the fiction side, we publish some of the biggest brand authors in the UK. We’re honoured to include James Patterson, Harlan Coben, Lisa Jewell, Anthony Horowitz, Paige Toon, Philippa Ashley, Diana Gabaldon, Katie Fforde, Tom Hindle and Rob Rinder on our list.  

The Opportunity 

We are looking for a knowledgeable, highly organised and strategic publishing director to work on all aspects of Century Fiction’s publishing, including running a team of three-four people, formulating a publishing strategy, managing a publication schedule, and day-to-day management of a large and growing list of fiction titles with approx. 12 authors of their own to include such bestselling authors as Paige Toon, Tom Hindle and Nancy Revell, all of whom regular deliver a book a year.  

This is a brilliant opportunity to make your mark on a highly successful and growing imprint and be part of a focused and passionate bestselling team. 

Candidate Profile 

• The ideal candidate would have experience at editorial director level or above. 

• You will possess sound commercial judgement, creativity and editorial flair, combined with a proven ability to prioritise work effectively, run a team and keep books on schedule and within budget.  

• You will be highly organised, proactive, with an attention to detail, excellent communication and time-management skills, and an ability to remain calm under pressure.  

• You will have an in-depth understanding of publishing processes, with experience of structural and primary editing, as well as overseeing books from acquisition to publication. You will also be committed to maintaining a high level of author care. 

• You will have a curiosity and passion for a broad range of genre fiction, including crime, thriller, romance and saga, and will bring editorial expertise and judgement to every aspect of Century Fiction’s publishing list. 

• You will be confident working with high-profile authors, and will have strong relationships with authors and agents across the industry. 

• You will be comfortable acting as an internal and external ambassador for Century Fiction, and working closely with other departments to develop energetic and effective campaigns. 

• You will have a deep understanding of the publishing landscape and marketplace: retailers, media, audiences and competitors.  

Application Instructions: 

Please apply with your CV and cover letter (addressed to Selina Walker) outlining why you are the right candidate for the role by midnight on Monday 12th February.  

What you can expect from us: 

Competitive basic salary depending on how your skills and experience align to the role, plus benefits.    

Competitive benefits package:  

Our people are the heart of our business, and we work hard to support a culture of responsibility and recognition.  

Our benefits include: 

Financial – income protection, life assurance, childcare allowance 

Wellbeing - healthcare cash plan, critical illness cover, health checks 

Lifestyle – enhanced parental leave, tech scheme,  

For our full benefits list please visit: https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/what-we-offer/ 

Hybrid working: While our offices across the UK are places to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. For this role we expect that you will spend three days per week working at our offices on Vauxhaul Bridge Road. 

The recruitment process: You can read about our recruitment process at https://www.penguinrandomhousecareers.co.uk/how-we-hire/ 

As a Disability Confident Committed organisation, we offer interviews to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role, and opt-in on their application form. There may be times when the volume of applications means we cannot take all eligible candidates to interview. 

We encourage you to tell us about any reasonable adjustments you may need by emailing PRHCareersUK@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable to for us to support your request. 

Please note, we are not able to accept agency CVs for this role. Any CVs sent speculatively will not be eligible for a fee. 

Company: Penguin Books Limited 

Country: United Kingdom 

State/Region: London 

City: London 

Postal Code: SW1V 2SA 

Job ID: 267871